


Where Moonflowers Bloom

by purrfectlysplendidpoppins



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Alternative Universe ; No Ghost, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:55:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27355354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purrfectlysplendidpoppins/pseuds/purrfectlysplendidpoppins
Summary: Jamie is the owner of a pub in NYC and works with Owen. When she meets Dani Clayton, her world falls apart - AU
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie, Hannah Grose/Owen Sharma
Comments: 30
Kudos: 164





	1. The Heart of Glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! If you are reading this, I assume you are still trying to cope with The Haunting of CRY Manor. Dani and Jamie’s story is both the most beautiful and sorrowful relationship I have ever seen on screen, and this is why I have been craving for more.
> 
> Their story was perfect just the way it was. I mean, obviously it was not a fairytale, but it was, just like Flora pointed out a “love story” that I would describe as “perfectly splendid”.
> 
> While I will never be able to write such a perfect ghost story, I hope you will like my AU fanfiction. It is also my very first fanfiction ever written. I have read many of them in the past few years, but never plucked up the courage to actually write one.
> 
> As you have probably already noticed, English is not my mother-tongue, so I hope there won’t be too many mistakes and that you will enjoy reading these lines. Please do not hesitate in letting me know how I could improve my English and correct my mistakes if necessary.
> 
> All that is left for me to do now is to wish you a very pleasant reading and journey with our beloved Dani and Jamie.

**New York – 2016**

The bartender was exhausted. Students had rushed into the pub and ordered so many drinks that she had lost track of time. She was used to it though. Has been for quite a while actually. Four years in total.

But this time it was different. This time, the bartender had to face the crowd on her own. This time, she was all alone in this big city, in her very own pub that she could barely even afford.

As she was cleaning up the counter right before closing time, a tall brown-haired man approached her and simply said:

“Hi.”

Without even raising her head, the annoyed bartender replied:

“We’ll be closing in a few minutes and I’ve ran out of juice, sorry.”

“ ’s okay, I actually came here to apply for a job.”

The bartender noticed two things when the young man spoke to her. First, he was British. And second, he was definitely out of his mind.

“Are you out of your mind?” she asked.

“Well considering you’ve let quite a few blokes leaving your place without paying and that you have to clean this place all by yourself at 3 in the morning, I’d say you have a lot on your plate.”

“No shit Sherlock.”

“My name’s Owen.” he answered jokingly.

For the first time, the bartender lifted her head and after what seemed to be an eternity for the young man, she gave him a smile.

“Jamie.” she said while wiping a glass.

Owen was quite proud with himself. Always has had a way of making people feel at ease. He always knew just how to lighten the atmosphere by telling all sorts of jokes.

“Sorry mate” she said while walking towards the tap. “There’s no job to offer here. I can barely afford the essentials and the rent, there’s no way I’ll be able to pay a cocky Londoner.”

“Oi, I’m not from London!”

They both laughed.

“And besides, I’m not asking you to pay me.”

She was intrigued. She turned off the tap and frowned.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Simple: I’ll work for you for free. I’ll do whatever you want me to: clean the tables, wash the dishes, tap a beer…”

Now she was suspicious.

“What’s the catch?” she asked.

“The catch?”

“A fine young man comes into my cheap ol’ pub, asking me to work for me, _for_ _free_ , with no further explanation. So, I’m asking you again: what’s the catch?”

He sighed and paused before answering:

“I need this job. Whether you want to pay me or not, I want to work for you.”

The following seconds felt like forever to Owen. Jamie stared at him for so long he thought time had stopped. But who could blame her? Jamie was used to watch out for strangers. But there was something about him that made her feel safe and at ease, and without understanding why, she gave him a mop and asked:

“D’you know how to use it?”

He laughed and nodded.

That was how the longstanding friendship between Owen and Jamie began: a fine young man was offered a job and a bartender was offered some help.

* * *

The next morning, Jamie woke up with a hangover. It has been months since she has not drunk that much. She poured herself a glass of tap water while trying to remember the end of her night.

_“I swear Owen, if you don’t tell me why the hell do you want this job so bad, I’ll have to call the fucking police” Jamie said, chuckling._

_“Alright then” Owen answered, downing one last tequila shot. “I met a girl. She’s just… perfectly splendid. She’s funny, she’s really clever and dreadfully sexy…”_

_“Oi mate! Gay!” Jamie said, pointing at herself. “Remember?”_

_“Yea” he chuckled. “Actually, Jamie darling, I wasn’t referring to you, but to a girl who’s been coming to this very pub every week since a month. Surely you’ve noticed her.”_

_“I never notice anyone. Haven’t even noticed you ol’ perv creeping at the back of the pub.” she joked._

_“Her name’s Hannah.” He continued. “She uhm… Well, she basically confused me with a waiter when I first approached her, and I was so shy that I didn’t know what else to do, so I took her order, went to the bar, paid for the G and T she wanted, gave it to her and told her ‘it’s on the house’.”_

_“Oh yeah I remember you. I thought ‘what a sad drink’.”_

_“And she was just so pretty and happy to get a free drink from the waiter that I just pretended to be a waiter all night long.”_

_“Jesus…” Jamie said, lighting up a cigarette. “Funny all the things we’d do for women.”_

_“Yeah well… They’re worth it.”_

_“Bullshit.” Jamie scoffed. “We’re all full of shit.”_

_“Aren’t you just adorable?” joked Owen. “Why are you so pessimist about it?”_

_“It’s none of your business.”_

_“Alright boss.”_

_At this moment, Owen knew this was a touchy subject he should never bring back on the table. Although he was genuinely interested in getting to know the bartender a bit better, he also knew the time would come when he eventually would be able to get those answers. And that is why, for the next hour they would spend together drinking and cleaning the rest of the tables, Owen would only talk about Hannah. The sweet and delicate Hannah Grose._

The bartender eventually gathered up enough strength to freshen up a bit and hop in the shower. It really has been ages since she had felt so hangovered in the morning. Or well, maybe it was actually early in the afternoon, she thought.

She usually did not drink at all, whether it was with friends or customers. Maybe it was because she did not have that many friends in the end. And as for customers, well, who wants to get to know the bartender after all?

Once again, Jamie was lost in her mind. She did not yet believe a guy has accepted to work for free in the “Moonflower”. But she has been struggling for months to make ends meet and she knew she had to accept his offer.

Later in the day, she remembered Owen telling her how wealthy he actually was. The young man had admitted to her that he had lost his mother a few months back and that the lady was actually “well loaded”. While he did not get along with her that much, he was her only family and he inherited from everything: an apartment in New York, a vintage car, a manor in England that he claimed to be haunted,…

Hence why Owen insisted on not being paid for this job. Not just because he was awfully clumsy, but because Jamie would actually do him a favour by helping him getting closer to the girl he referred to as “perfect Hannah”.

And to be perfectly honest, Jamie was glad to have someone by her side. Now that she was holding the pub all by herself for the past nine months, the bartender knew she could not keep on living this way. Not since the love of her life had left her. It has been quite a while she has not described her as such. Even after what she has done, Jamie was still very much in love with her.

Or was she?

* * *

Just a few hours after she has woken up, the bartender found herself opening the pub. She felt like she was living in the movie “Groundhog Day”. She would experience the same day’s events repeatedly every day: she would wake, she would open the pub, she would close the pub and would go to sleep.

While she entered the key into the lock, Owen’s voice surprised her:

“Thought you might fancy a cup of coffee.”

“Jesus!”

“The name’s still Owen.” he joked.

“Have you turned American during the night?” she asked, gesturing towards the green and white coffee cups.

“I know, I wish I could have found a tea shop, but I was too smashed to try to find something else. And besides, I wanted to make a great impression for my first day at work.”

“Again Owen, you don’t have to work for me. Just come to pub and pretend you’re a waiter, it’s fine by me.”

“Nah, I don’t want to keep pretending with Hannah. I want things to be real.”

Jamie raised her eyes.

“Come inside then, Romeo. We’ve got plenty of work ahead.”

* * *

As per usual, people -or rather students- kept on showing up from 7pm. The bartender was relieved to be assisted by Owen during rush hour. Even if he was indeed a bit clumsy, he was an excellent waiter and an even better joker. Jamie was almost jealous of his confidence: without even knowing it, he made every girl in the pub utterly laugh.

And it was good for business, Jamie thought. Owen might have been the guardian angel she desperately needed at that time. Just when she thought she might have to close the pub by the end of the year, she could not refuse some extra-help. New York was such an expensive city to live in and she had no savings left to afford a closure.

As the evening wore on, Jamie was relieving the pressure. For once, she was exhausted but having fun. So much that she did not even acknowledge the gorgeous blonde at all.

“I’ll have two pints of beer, please” the woman asked, very nervously.

It was only then that Jamie lifted her head. As if time had stopped, the bartender froze. She was stunned by the breath-taking woman standing right in front of her. No words could describe the perfection of her features, the magnificent curls of her blond hair, her exquisite perfume, her lovely blue eyes and her stunning vivid smile.

The bartender was unsure if the lady was smiling to be polite or because Jamie has been staring at her for too long. Maybe a bit of both, because her shy smile slowly turned into a funny grin, almost mocking her. She was absolutely adorable though and could have mocked the bartender all night long if she wanted to. The girl was “perfectly splendid”, Jamie thought, quoting Owen.

“Sure, right away.” Jamie said, shaking her head.

The bartender took two glasses and started filling them with an IPA, while trying to compose herself.

“What the fuck Jamie, get a grip!” she muttered to herself.

She then gave the two pints to the blond girl, wondering to whom the second glass would belong.

“Here you go.”

As the girl was searching for some cash in her pockets, Jamie stopped her and said:

“It’s on the house.”

If it has worked for Owen, why wouldn’t she try that with the gorgeous blonde?

“You don’t have to-”

“I know, I insist.”

Right when Jamie looked into her deep blue eyes, hoping to chat a bit more with the gorgeous blonde, a tall man appeared beside her, putting a possessive hand around her waist.

“Alright love?” the guy asked, kissing her forehead.

Jamie felt very uncomfortable watching this scene. Not just because the girl she was fancying was taken, but also because this girl did not seem to be comfortable around her boyfriend. There was something odd about these two, something that Jamie could not yet explain.

“’It’s on the house’ is _my_ pickup line!” Owen said, who apparently overheard the conversation.

“Oh, fuck off mate, it’s not a pickup line, it’s just a stupid way for bartenders to get laid.” she scoffed, while watching the mysterious girl disappearing in the crowd.

“Oh, so you’ve found your Hannah then.”

“Nah mate, she’s taken. AND she’s straight.”

“She didn’t seem that straight to me when she devoured you with her eyes.”

“What? No, she didn’t…”

Now she was unsure about what just happened. Was Owen joking or was the girl really staring at her the same way Jamie was?

After an hour spent thinking about the beautiful blonde and looking for her in the growing crowd, the bartender felt like she needed a break. She knew Owen was perfectly managing on his own and could trust him with the checkout. So, she went outside and lit up a cigarette. It has been nine whole months that she had not allow herself to have a break.

She could not. How could she? With no staff at all, she did not even have time to use the bathroom. Hence why she was savouring this cigarette. It felt like an actual relief, a dose of oxygen that she was lacking for so long.

“Hey.”

A sweet and gentle voice came from behind her. Unforgettable and easily recognizable, Jamie knew whom this voice belonged to: the perfectly splendid blond woman.

“Hi” the bartender said with a huge grin.

“I didn’t get the chance to thank you properly for the drinks.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Still, I wanted to thank you because it was a nice gesture.”

“And you’ve waited outside to tell me this?” Jamie teased.

“Well I- uh. I… No! I was with my friends and uh… Well I saw you and I- I- I thought I’d say hi.”

She was so cute when she was stuttering like that. Jamie looked above the girl’s shoulder to spot her friends, but only found her boyfriend’s cold gaze from afar. He was standing among five other people, who were roughly the same age. While every person in the group was talking to each other, Jamie felt like he was defying her with his glance.

“Anyway, I should get going.” she said, already walking away.

“Wait!” Jamie stopped her, grabbing the woman’s hand.

Her skin was soft like velvet and silk and Jamie instantly wanted more. Was craving for more. At that precise moment, Jamie wished to touch her face, her lips, her delicate cheeks and kiss her body everywhere she could.

But she could not. Instead, the bartender simply asked:

“What’s your name?”

“ _Dani_.”

And just like that, the perfect woman now had a name.

* * *

As Jamie went back inside, she noticed that her playlist chose the perfect song to conclude this bizarre evening.

_Once I had a love and it was divine,_

_Soon found out I was losing my mind._

_It seemed like the real thing, but I was so blind,_

_Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind._

_In between, what I find is pleasing and I'm feeling fine._

_Love is so confusing, there's no peace of mind,_

_If I fear I'm losing you it's just no good,_

_You teasing like you do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... what do you think?


	2. Get Out of my Head

For a month, the bartender had been waiting every day for the return of Dani. Of course, Owen could not help but tease her every day about it too. Even though she knew she was being unrealistic, she simply could not get her out of her head. She thought she was just being childish about the situation: wanting what she could not have.

Some nights, she would find herself daydreaming about having an affair with the blonde woman. Some other nights, she would not even be able to sleep at all, completely terrified about the fact that she might never see her again.

“ _Bollocks_ …” she muttered, rubbing her eyes. “Why the hell doesn’t she want to get out my head?!”

She sighed and poured herself a cup of tea. It was already noon, but the brunette was not feeling hungry. She usually had a ferocious appetite, so she was surprised to find herself once again having a snack and a cigarette as lunch.

Thankfully, Owen made it a habit to bring her a nice meal every now and then. If he was not so in love with Hannah, Jamie would have thought Owen had a crush on her instead. Since she was living right above the pub, he knew he would always find her either there or at her place.

“Well if you must know, Jamie darling, to conquer a woman’s heart, you have to conquer her belly.”

“True that!” Jamie laughed.

“And I plan on being not only the best lover Hannah could ever have, I also want to please her taste buds.”

“Taste buds, eh.” she teased. “I wonder when you plan on telling her how you feel about her though. I hope you know that it’s not just a few free drinks every now and then that will help you get laid. You’ve got to actually talk to her, yeah?”

“I have!” he insisted. “Many times, in fact. ‘ _Hello, can I get you a drink?_ ’ or ‘ _The usual?_ ’ and last night we’ve actually talked for like ten whole minutes!”

“Oh great, maybe next year you’ll finally be able to ask her out?” she joked. “Seriously mate, what’s stopping you? I’ve seen the look in her eyes when you bring her drinks. She definitely doesn’t look at me like that!”

“I don’t know… I don’t want to make a wrong move, you know? I want to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect.”

“Alright.” she paused. “And what does this perfect lady of yours do exactly?”

“Well she’s a med school student and wants to become a surgeon.”

“Blimey!”

“Yeah that’s basically when I realised, she was way out of my league: too beautiful, too polite and too clever to even just get interested in someone like me.”

“Don’t say that…” she was genuinely concerned about the poor guy. “And besides, I know how med students get tired and hungry after a late-night shift. She’ll be pleased to have her wee-waiter and part-time cook to water and feed her.”

“Have you ever dated a med-student?”

“I’m not sure you could call it ‘dating’, but… I’ve hooked up with some med-students, yes.”

Owen was fascinated by how easy Jamie could talk about her one-night stands. Of course, he would not dare to ask why she did not want to get involved in a proper relationship, because he knew he could not risk making her lose her temper all over again. So, he just sat there, listening to the stories of her pretending to be a cold-hearted-bitch.

But Owen knew otherwise. Behind the mask was hiding a woman who held so much pain and love that her feelings reflected anyway, showing who she really was inside. As time went by and as their friendship grew, Jamie was letting her friend in, learning how to trust him.

* * *

The bartender felt lucky to call Owen her friend. If she was really honest with herself, not only was he her best friend, but perhaps was he her only friend. Although she did not remember that clearly, she must have admitted that to him at Thanksgiving dinner. Or well, as they have called it: “Shotsgiving”.

Shotsgiving served absolutely no other purpose but getting drunk and complaining about the American traditions. While they did not see the point of celebrating Thanksgiving like proper Americans, they still felt the need to gather around a delicious meal and many drinks. And Jamie was amazed at how gifted Owen was in the kitchen.

“Put a ring on it _alreadyyyy_!” Jamie teased, slumped in the couch.

“You’re wasted!” he laughed.

“Am not!” she replied, sliding progressively onto the floor. “Ok, maybe a wee bit.”

“Ok Jamie Taylor…” Owen began, handing her a glass of wine that she struggled to grab. “I’ve told you the embarrassing story of how I awkwardly asked out Hannah Grose, now it’s your turn.”

“My turn?” she took a sip.

“Yes. Are you seeing anyone?”

“Owen, if I was seeing anyone, I wouldn’t be so cranky all the time. And don’t you think you’ll be the first one to know about it?”

Truth is, he was concerned about the bartender. They saw each other practically every day and she was, indeed, cranky all the time. And Owen knew it was because of the girl she has met, two months back, on his first shift. He knew Jamie was good at heart and that whatever happened to her, this was the reason she seemed so damaged.

“What about the girl?” he tried.

“What _girl_?”

She knew exactly who Owen was referring to. She knew because even though she had not seen her ever since that first night, she could not stop thinking about her. There has not been one day since Jamie has opened the pub without hoping Dani would show up. And it hurt. So bad.

“She hasn’t shown up Owen.” she started, knowing that she could not pretend anymore. “Those people are like waves: they come and go. They have a beer, maybe two, but never come back. There are 8,5 million people living in New York City, and I’m not even sure she’s one of them. For all I know she could be from Florida visiting her friends with her gorgeous boyfriend who wouldn’t let go of her.”

“Jealous much?” he teased.

“Oh, shut up Owen.”

* * *

Two weeks after that dinner, Jamie was starting to feel better. She came to terms with the fact that she might never see Dani again. And it did not matter, in the end, because the girl had a boyfriend and the girl was not even into Jamie anyway. She was just being polite, because Dani was probably a very nice girl.

And Jamie thought that maybe she just needed to get laid. If Jamie was so grumpy all the time, the reason might just have been physical. November is such a sad month, she thought. No wonder Americans get all excited for Christmas right after Halloween. She could not bear the fact that everyone was so joyful during December, which made her even more sarcastic than she already was.

“You’re the bloody Grinch, that’s what you are” Owen stated.

“Look, if I don’t want to come, then I’m not coming! Period.” She answered.

“There will be plenty of food…” he began. “… and plenty of drinks… and plenty of chicks. And plus, I’ll be there all alone if you don’t come with me, and I’ll look like a dork.”

She scoffed. Hannah had invited Owen as her date to a Christmas party, and while he was delighted to accompany her, he was absolutely terrified to be surrounded by Hannah’s friends. They have been officially dating for just a few weeks and Owen had never met any of her friends. As always, he wanted to make a good impression. Even though he was an absolute gentleman with her, he constantly thought he was not good enough for her.

Owen had asked Jamie a thousand times to come to the party with him. And she always declined the offer. While she was more than happy to know that her best friend was finally moving forward in his life, she could not help but feel jealous. Once again, she felt like everyone around her seemed to be embracing life while she had to witness it, alone with a broken heart.

And then she thought about what Owen said: “ _plenty of chicks_ ”. Maybe it was time for her to keep moving forward as well and stop making excuses.

“You know what, fuck it, I’ll keep you company.” She said.

And Owen’s gleaming smile could not have gotten any bigger.

* * *

The bartender did not feel comfortable around these people at all. They were all way too young, way too drunk or way too cocky. She did not even understand how a woman like Hannah could fit in. She has only met her a couple of times, but Jamie knew the med-student was better than any of them. Hannah was a witted and wise woman: she always spoke in such an elegant way and constantly made sure that no one was left behind.

That is why, when she noticed that Jamie was drinking by herself, she took Owen’s hand and approached her:

“Sorry Jamie darling, we were miles away!”

The fact that Hannah gave her the same nickname as Owen was actually very touching. Soppy even. But cute. When she saw the two of them clinging to one another, the bartender could not help but think that they were the perfect match.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it.” Jamie said. “I was just about to leave anyway.”

“Nonsense, you’ve just arrived! Besides, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Hannah said, grabbing Jamie’s elbow.

“Alrighty then.”

Just like Owen, Hannah was easy to get along with. First time Jamie and she have had a proper chat, it was during election day. Hannah was devastated when she had learnt who would represent the American people as president of the United States. That night, they had discussed politics and LGBTQIA+ rights for hours. And Jamie was pleased to see how committed and aware Hannah was.

“Here’s Trish.” Hannah said, tapping on a brunette’s shoulder.

The woman was gorgeous. So much that Jamie hold her breath for a few seconds and gulped. She forced herself not to look like a horny teenager, so she simply smiled at her, and the woman smiled back.

“She used to be my roommate in the first years of med-school.” She continued, with a grin.

“My partner in crime.” Trish added.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Jamie.”

“Likewise.”

Not only was she stunning, she also had an erotic voice. And in an instant, Jamie could not think of anything else but to kiss the hell out of her. Because she was no fool. The bartender knew exactly why Hannah wanted to introduce that particular friend to her: she has already talked about her one night. And Owen mentioned her a few times as well. Therefore, she knew exactly that the woman was available and a hundred percent gay.

This is why, when Jamie tried to kiss her a few hours later, the woman let her. Maybe it was because of all the booze they have drunk or maybe it was because of the loud and shitty music that echoed in the inner courtyard, but Jamie was finally enjoying herself. Both of them have been chatting for quite a while before deciding to isolate themselves from the crowd inside the big house. They have kissed for what felt like an eternity to Jamie and they were both getting more and more aroused.

“Your place or mine?” Trish asked between kisses.

“Yours.”

The women passed through the crowd and hurried themselves towards the entrance. Although Jamie did not want to leave the place without saying goodbye to Owen and Hannah, she thought she could text him in the morning.

As a reflex, she scanned the room while opening the front door and was about to go outside right when she saw her: _Dani_. Standing there, in the crowd, with her doe eyes and her shy smile. She was wearing a satin dress and high heels. She was stunning, utterly and perfectly splendid.

Jamie could not believe her eyes, but here she was: the woman she has dreamt of so many nights was a few feet away from her, at last. And as if by magic, at this moment in time, Dani looked directly at her and time froze. They both seemed shocked that their eyes met again, as if this unlikely probability was the act of fate.

“Babe, what are you doing?” Trish asked, gently pulling Jamie’s arm. “You coming or what?”

A bumpy return to earth.

“I, uh… Yeah, in a minute.” Jamie said, still at shock. “I just have to… I need to… I won’t be long, wait for me outside, would you?”

“Sure thing.” Trish answered, kissing her cheek.

She had no idea why she went back into that crowd again, why she would let the gorgeous brunette wait for her outside, why she would want to speak to a girl she barely knew. But she did not hesitate in walking towards Dani, who had not glanced away the entire time.

When Jamie approached her, she thought she would find something clever and funny to say, but nothing came out of her mouth. That is why she was glad when Dani said:

“What are you doing here?”

Dani seemed delighted to see Jamie. She had a huge grin and blazing eyes. And she, too, seemed to have drunk more than just a few sips of beer. But Jamie had absolutely no idea what to answer to the blonde or even why the girl was talking to her as if they had known each other for years.

“You know what? Let’s have a drink!” Dani suggested, without even allowing Jamie to answer back.

“Well, to be honest, I was about to leave. My friend’s waiting for me.” Jamie said, gesturing towards the entrance.

“Oh.” Dani seemed truly sad.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that I-”

“It’s ok, I understand.” she answered, with a profound sorrow in her eyes.

“Come visit me at the ‘Moonflower’.” Jamie suggested. “Who knows, maybe you’ll get another free drink?”

“Sounds like a plan! Can I have your number?”

She was so enthusiastic it was overwhelming. Jamie was pleased to give Dani her number and when she turned back, the blonde woman exclaimed:

“Alcohol-you later!”

“Yeah you do that.” Jamie giggled at how cute she was.

* * *

When they arrived at Trish’s place, their moves were primal, brutal even. Both were eager to discover each other body and have a good time. Trish was a good lover and a giver. She trailed kisses all over Jamie’s body, hoping to please her as much as possible. It felt wrong though. It _was_ wrong. Jamie thought about Dani all the time, all night long.

She wondered why Dani was so thrilled to see her and how come she was at this party all by herself. She secretly hoped the blonde was single again. She asked herself whether Dani would show up unexpected or if she would call her first. The bartender knew she should not think about anyone else but the gorgeous brunette between her legs. She knew it was wrong to pretend to be into it while all she could think of was Dani.

Her name and her face echoed in her head, she could even remember so clearly her perfume and wished she could still feel the touch of her delicate skin against hers. Exactly when she and Trish reached their climax, she felt embarrassed because the brunette was not the one she wanted to be connected to at that moment.

So, she just jumped out of bed and got dressed in a hurry. She mumbled some excuse and left the apartment as soon as she could. Jamie needed to get fresh air into her lungs, she needed to empty her mind from all of her confused feelings. She did not even notice that she was crying heavily in the middle of the street. What she felt inside her guts was overwhelming and she did not yet understand how the blonde could have that control over her.

_Living in a broken home alone,_

_16 weeks since you've been gone,_

_As time goes by there's no pieces left,_

_No memories of you and me, yeah._

_To shut out feeling lonely,_

_I get out of my head,_

_Lost everything around me,_

_Not dealing with it well,_

_To shut out feeling lonely,_

_I get out of my head_

_Why would you want to love somebody when love hurts in the end?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank you for your kind comments. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter :) Don't worry, I've got many more to come, their story has just begun!  
> For those who haven't seen the Haunting of Hill House, Trish is one of the character. I wanted to put in some minor characters into my story as a wink ;)  
> Leave me a comment and tell me what you think! Have a good day/night!


	3. Like a Fairytale

Jamie’s eyes were still painful. She had been crying all night and had not slept at all. She was so angry to have fallen for the blonde so easily. She did not even know her, had not even kissed her, and did not even understand how this girl could have that power over her. Jamie secretly hoped that the blonde would come to the pub today, or even just call her, text her. She did not care how, she just wanted to hear her voice.

She _needed_ to.

This day more than ever. It has been a year since her girlfriend left her at the altar. An entire year had passed since the day she felt shattered to pieces and that her life seemed meaningless. And maybe that was the reason she was clinging on to Dani. Maybe it was not love after all. Maybe Dani just reminded her of her ex.

But how could she? They were the exact opposite. While Jamie did not know much about Dani, she felt, deep inside her bones, that she was a lot different than her ex. Way different than all the girls she had ever dated, to be honest.

And when she turned on her phone, she got four messages:

2:13pm

  * **Want to grab a cup of coffee sometime? V.**



_Ignored._

2:07pm

  * **Hey Jamie D, you sure you don’t need a hand? X**
  * _**Thanks Owen, I’ll manage. Don’t worry, no one wants to get drunk in a pub on Christmas Eve. ;) I had a blast last night, thank you both. X Jamie**_



_Liar._

10:18am

  * **Have I done something wrong? Trish**



_Brilliant. I thought she wasn’t the clingy type. Ignored._

5:43am

  * **I miss oyuuu, can you kidneyap me?**



_Well that’s interesting._

She knew straight away this unknown number was Dani’s. Not only because it was a drunken text, but because even with those few words she could hear her saying them, with that sweet voice of hers. And she felt instantly happy. Those tears she cried last night vanished in the blink of an eye. She simply could not control her feelings around that woman.

So, she decided to call her. She did not have to wait too long before she could hear Dani’s voice at the other end of the line. With her soft, husky voice, she said:

“ _Hello?_ ”

“Hi Dani, it’s uh… It’s Jamie.”

“ _Hi!_ ” she answered with an enthusiastic tone.

“Hi.” Jamie answered, surprised but delighted to notice that Dani was still in a very good mood despite her hangover. “So… When shall I kidnap you?”

“ _Uh?_ ”

Dani tried to compose herself. She was clearly still in bed because Jamie could hear her rummaging through her bedsheets.

“ _Oh my God!_ ” Dani gasped.

Jamie loved how embarrassed she sounded. Dani probably just remembered or read the text addressed to Jamie a few hours ago.

“ _I’m so sorryyyy!_ ”

“It’s quite flattering, really.”

A silence.

“Look I know it’s Christmas Eve and you probably already have plans, but-”

“ _I don’t._ ” Dani cut her off. “ _I’m free if you are too._ ”

“I’m opening the pub in an hour or so, but I’ll be closing earlier tonight, so we could-”

“ _Ok, I’ll meet you there._ ”

And she hung up. Jamie had a contented grin on her face, happy to hear that Dani was eager to come and see her. Or maybe it was because she wanted to end things. But end what exactly? They were not even friends in fact, since they barely knew each other. So that must have been the first option: Dani probably wanted to get to know Jamie a bit better. And Jamie secretly hoped that Dani wanted to be more than just friends.

She did not want to feel that way towards the blonde, but she simply could not help it. All night she tried to avoid thinking about her. All night she kept on rethinking about how perfect Dani was. She blamed herself for it: the exact same thing happened to Jamie a few years back and she was determined not to suffer like this ever again.

But here she was, getting all dressed up with her favourite clothes. She tried to fix her messy hair and even put some make-up on. It definitely felt like a date in Jamie’s heart, but she knew she should not think of it that way. Especially not after a whole night crying with a broken heart. She knew the risk better than anyone else and knew she should build walls to avoid being a wreck all over again.

* * *

The bartender was hanging some Christmas lights when Dani entered the pub. The blonde woman’s eyes light up when she discovered the place was getting all Christmassy with a charming vintage look. Dani did not say a word though, too busy watching the bartender trying to hook the last part of the fairy light on the wall. Jamie was a petite woman, but of good stature that made her look a lot more impressive than she was.

“Bloody hell…” Jamie mumbled when she dropped the hook.

Right when she looked to the ground, the bartender saw Dani looking at her. She wondered since when the blonde woman had been standing there.

“How long have you been staring at me?” she teased.

“I uh… I, I, I… I was not… _staring_.”

Of course, she was. Jamie knew it, but she found it incredibly cute that Dani was trying to lie about it anyway. She then got off the ladder and noticed that the blonde was holding cups of coffee.

“You Yanks and your coffee.” She scoffed.

“You might like it.” Dani tried. “Besides I’m not sure I could swallow any alcoholic beverage today.”

“Is that so?” Jamie giggled. “How’s your night been?”

“It’s been ok.” She said, handing Jamie a cup. “Ok well, it was a disaster.”

“Cheers.” Jamie answered with a shy smile.

Then there was a long pause. Both had a sip of coffee, and Jamie did not even pretend to like it because just the smell revolted her. The silence, however, was not uncomfortable though. Dani would glance several times at the bartender, and Jamie would wonder how surreal the whole situation actually was.

This was the first time in months they were having a proper conversation. It was the first time they ever had a proper conversation in fact. A conversation that Jamie had imagined a thousand times. In the last couple of hours, she even practiced a speech to herself, in which she would try to flirt with Dani.

Before she could even try to speak first, the blonde woman stated:

“I don’t like how we’ve left it.”

Jamie was rather surprised, to say the least. She did not get what Dani actually meant, so she just answered by a question:

“And how did we leave _it_?”

“Wrong. And I wanted to… I wanted to start doing something right. So, I thought I’d start with coffee.”

“You sure about that?” Jamie teased. “About wanting to start something I mean. Not about the coffee, ‘cause it’s shite.”

Dani laughed and blushed.

“I mean… Yeah. I don’t have that many friends here in New York, and I thought we could hang out?”

 _Friends_. Of course, she wanted to be friends. What else could she even want from Jamie anyway?

“Hang out?” she asked.

“And maybe get to know each other?” Dani suggested.

Jamie raised an eyebrow. What did the blonde even mean by that? Right when she was about to say something, Jamie was saved by the bell: a customer entered, already quite drunk by the look of his walk. She kept staring at the blonde for a few more minutes before addressing a few words to the man who just came in:

“Hey pal’, what can I get ya?”

The man was rude, but harmless. Jamie was used to this kind of customers: drunk by 5pm, a very strong smell of cologne and an improper joke here and then. But Jamie did not mind anymore. She had a perfect blonde in front of her, who apparently wanted to get to know her, so nothing in the world could ruin her current happiness.

As requested, she brought him a draft-beer and a whiskey. She then went back to the table where she left Dani and said:

“All yours now. What’s your poison?”

“Anything that’s alcohol-free, really.” Dani answered with a shy laugh, still embarrassed by the previous night.

“Of course.” Jamie answered with a slight grin. “Why did you get shit-faced yesterday?”

The blonde tried to make an excuse about her with an empty stomach, because she did not have time to have dinner, and also about her mixing red wine and champagne. Still grinning and used to hearing fake excuses on hangovers, Jamie was making what she called the “hangover-cocktail”: after a few years working in a pub, she had to make sure her hangovered-clients would come back the next day and drink beers, rather sooner than later.

“This should cure your hangover pretty fast.”

“I saw you pouring some brandy.”

“You’re quite the observer, aren’t you? Yes, _milady_ , I did put some brandy into your drink. Now have a sip and tell me what you think.”

“It looks like a _Bloody Mary_ to me.” Dani pouted, smelling the drink.

“Tomato juice, sunflower oil, lemon juice, hot pepper, salt, and yes, a wee bit of brandy. Looks like a Bloody Mary but is not a _Bloody_ Mary. Drink it, you won’t be disappointed.”

Normally, Jamie would have been annoyed by such behaviour. But not this time, not with Dani anyway. Surprisingly, she even found herself thinking at how cute the blonde actually was. And when Dani took the first sip, she was pleased to see the blonde with a big smile.

“Shall I assume you like it?”

“It’s perfect, thank you.” she admitted. “So… Why did you come to my party last night?”

“What d’you mean, _your_ party?” Jamie asked, confused.

“The annual Christmas party is always at my place. I thought you… I mean, I thought that’s why you came.”

“I… wasn’t aware of that.”

Both stared at each other in an awkward silence.

“That’s embarrassing.” Dani said, standing up. “I should go.”

“What? No!” the bartender replied, gently grabbing her arm.

It happened again: Jamie felt an electric shock passing through her body, as if their body connected with the touch of their skin.

“Stay.” Jamie offered, removing her hand.

“Look… I thought you showed up last night because you, somehow, found out where I lived and-”

“Wait. You _live_ here?!”

Jamie was genuinely surprised. The house was not only as big as a castle, it was also filled with expensive furniture and a well-maintained garden. The night before, Jamie did not really care about the place per se, she just assumed some rich kid threw a Christmas party in their parents’ home.

“Well technically, it’s… my parent’s. But they basically never come home, so…” Dani admitted. “Especially not during Christmas holidays. They’re what we could call workaholics, I guess… That’s the reason I’d rather have a giant Christmas party at my place and get drunk instead of waiting for them to come home.”

“Dani, I’m sorry.”

And she truly meant it. She knew just how miserable loneliness could feel. She knew better than anyone else how difficult it was to face family holidays alone. She wanted to hold her in her arms and tell her it would be ok. But it was too soon, way too soon. She did not even know her last name, nor did she even know if the girl was single again. She was sure of one thing though: you have to feel pretty lonely to spend time with someone you barely know on Christmas Eve.

“It’s fine, I’m fine.” Dani said, tears in her eyes. “I’m just a little overwhelmed at the moment, I suppose.”

“The boyfriend?” Dani tried.

She had to. She desperately wanted to know whether there was one or not anymore. She saw Dani blinking and hesitating. Of course, Jamie would have preferred if the girl in front of her just denied it all and said that she was not with him anymore, but she just patiently waited for her to answer.

“We’re going through a rough patch.” Dani explained. “We’ve broken up. Or I’ve broken up, I guess.”

“It’s not the same thing.” Jamie stated, puzzled. “What happened?”

Then the blonde paused for a few seconds, fidgeting and shivering. The bartender could swear she even saw tears in Dani’s eyes. Something was off, and Jamie did not want to push her, she did not want to make her feel uncomfortable, because whatever that was, Dani surely did not want to talk about it just yet.

Instead, she thought about doing something she never did with anyone for a very long time: sharing some of her complex life story.

“I don’t like Christmas either.” Jamie said, changing the subject. “Never been a huge fan of the whole Father Christmas excitement anyway. As a child, I thought he was actually quite scary… It might have been the beard, or maybe the fact that I’ve discovered who Father Christmas really was when I’ve noticed he smelled exactly the same as my dad: Irish whiskey. Anyway, my brother Denny told me dad was Father Christmas when I was around three or four.”

“Oh no.” Dani simply said, with a sad tone.

“Ten years later, my dad found out that my mum, Louise, was screwing some bloke from work and the Christmas dinner we should have had, turned into a raging fight between them. So much that my brother and I eventually had to call the police, because dad had begun hitting her. Hard.”

“Jamie…” Dani softly said, a hand stroking the bartender’s forearm.

Jamie stopped talking because she felt out of her depth. Then she simply glanced at the hand of Dani over hers and managed to summon the courage to keep on telling her story.

“After a few days, Denny and I got separated: he was old enough to choose with whom he wanted to live so he chose my dad -I don’t bloody know why-, and I had to stay with my mum. Never spoke to my dad ever since he left.”

“What about your brother?”

Jamie stared into space for a few seconds, with a sorrowful and vacant look, but was brought back to reality by the old drunk customer:

“Give me another one, would you?” he asked, raising his empty glass.

“Straight away.” Jamie said, removing her hand from Dani’s.

A heavy deafening silence echoed the pub, and one could only hear the sound of the beer filling the customer’s glass. The bartender could not help but feel slightly uncomfortable by it, hence why she chose to put some music on and randomly put a Christmas playlist.

“Sorry about that.” Jamie said, back to the table where she left the blonde.

“It’s fine.”

Dani did not know whether Jamie was sorry because she had to take the customer’s order or because she had just told her one of the most tragic stories she ever heard. She was glad though, that the bartender opened up to her.

And for the next hour they talked about Christmas clichés due to the awful playlist Jamie had chosen. It felt easy, being around Dani and talking to her. It was almost second nature to Jamie, as if she had always known her.

When Jamie closed the pub around 8, she did not want this evening to end, so she suggested they could grab something to eat and walk around the city. For the first time in months, the bartender did not want this day to end, she even wanted to make it last, as long as possible. Whether Dani felt the same or not, Jamie at least hoped to keep the blonde as her friend. She enjoyed her company more than she should and more she ever thought she could, and she was so happy to spend this time with her.

They took a long stroll and managed to eat a giant Pretzel and drink some eggnog. Both were teasing each other about British and American traditions. Jamie was glad to learn Dani’s favourite movie was _Mary Poppins_ and decided to call her that the entire journey. She also learned that Dani was slightly younger than her. Two years actually. The surprising thing was that Dani loved kids. She wanted to become a teacher, but her parents never agreed on letting her follow this path. Instead, they paid for her studies at law school, which she still hates with passion.

They walked and talked so much that they eventually found themselves back to where it all began: right in front of the _Moonflower_. They both looked at each other like nervous teenagers scared to ask the other on a date. Jamie hated this situation, hated to feel so vulnerable around her and hated to be already so smitten. She could not help it though; this overwhelming feeling would not let go of her.

And maybe that was why she gathered all the courage that was left in her to press her lips against Dani’s. The blonde was a little taken aback, but she rapidly allowed Jamie to kiss her with more passion and envy. The kiss was perfect, as if their lips had always known how to dance together.

“You sure?” The bartender asked, pulling out.

“Yes.” Dani answered.

Dani was craving for more, asking for another kiss with her lips and Jamie obliged, with a slight grin.

“ _Thank fuck_.” Jamie whispered between kisses.

They kissed for another minute and then the bartender said:

“Merry Christmas.”

“It is _merry_ indeed.” Dani said, kissing her again and putting her hands around her waist.

“We should… call it a night.” She interrupted.

Jamie had to gather all her self-control to remain as calm as possible. She did not want to rush things with Dani. She felt it was already going too fast and she did not want to mess it up. Whatever _it_ was.

“Oh.” The blonde simply said, disappointed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, Poppins! Of course not.” Jamie said, keeping her closer. “I had a wonderful evening and-”

“Me too.” Dani interrupted with a huge smile, hoping this statement could help her spend some more time together.

“… _and_ I don’t want rush things.” Jamie finished, smiling back at her. “So good night. Just… Good night. There are other nights, and there will be other nights.”

“You promise?”

They kissed passionately.

“Promise.” Jamie answered.

Dani was panting heavily, and the bartender could not resist but to kiss her again. The blonde was so perfectly sexy, and Jamie was aroused. Of course, she wanted to spend the night with her, and she wished this evening would never end. But she had to. She did not want to ruin this, because she was kissing the woman of her dream, and the woman of her dream was kissing her back.

After a few moments, Jamie called her a cab and promised to call her the next morning. She did not believe how cheesy this girl was making her feel but she did not really care anymore. She even waited for the blonde’s car to be out of sight before going back to her apartment. She shook her head because she thought she was being ridiculous. And at this precise moment, she wondered if she was being ridiculous because she started to feel something for her.

* * *

After a long and well-needed shower, Jamie immediately checked her phone.

00:06am

  * **Merry Xmas. Love, Mum.**



_That was such an original and personal message. Thanks mum. Delete._

00:14am

  * **Guess it’s a no then. Happy Christmas btw. V.**



_Ignored._

01:20am

  * **It took ages, but I’m finally home safe. Good night… Xxxx Dani**
  * _**I’ll be thinking of you, Poppins… ;) Jamie**_
  * **Don’t tease or you sure will have to kidneyap me! :p**



Dani was beyond perfect: she was funny, touching, clever, beautiful, and Jamie almost did not believe the day she just had: she woke up sad and hangovered, thinking she would have to endure another painful Christmas, but ended up having the most beautiful day she ever had in a while, with a large grin and joyful memories in mind.

This bizarre evening felt unreal in Jamie’s heart. Almost like a fairytale. And she hoped this fairytale would never end. While remembering how cute and passionate Dani was when she told her about her favourite band, _The Pogues_ , Jamie decided to listen to some of their songs before going to sleep.

_I've got a feeling,_

_This year's for me and you._

_So happy Christmas,_

_I love you baby._

_I can see a better time_

_When all our dreams come true._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It finally happened! ;)   
> Tell me what you think of this new romance between our beloved Poppins&Jamie :)


End file.
